George Washington put down after Breeders’ Cup fall

The 2007 Breeders’ Cup will be remembered for all the wrong reasons after the untimely death of George Washington.

Last season’s 2000 Guineas and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes winner had to be put down after suffering an open fracture to both sesamoid bones.

It ended what had already been a thoroughly miserable night for the Europeans, who left Monmouth Park without a winner.

The Aidan O’Brien-trained four-year-old showed up handily early in the contest, which was run on mud-splattered dirt track after two days of rain, but soon began to struggle.

As Curlin powered away to beat Hard Spun, George Washington’s rider Mick Kinane dismounted his horse, who was quickly attended by racecourse veterinary staff.

He could not be saved, however, and the decision was taken to have him humanely destroyed.

O’Brien’s wife Anne-Marie was in tears on the rail and was consoled by her husband as the family walked back into the paddock.

On-course veterinarian and equine joint expert Dr Wayne McIlwraith said George Washington suffered an open fracture of both sesamoid bones.

Dr McIlwraith added: “The decision was made very quickly. The injury was bad and Aidan O’Brien made the request for euthanisation. He was with the horse.”

With the exception of O’Brien’s Dylan Thomas, most of the foreign challengers ran creditably in defeat on the night, notably his stablemate Excellent Art.

For O’Brien though, Excellent Art’s performance to finish second in the Mile will pale into insignificance next to George’s demise.

Dylan Thomas put in a lacklustre show to finish fifth behind impressive winner English Channel in the Turf.

The Arc winner did not look happy on the rain-softened ground and never travelled at any stage for Johnny Murtagh.

However, Todd Pletcher’s English Channel was right at home in the conditions and ran out an impressive winner under John Velazquez.

Former French-trained Shamdinan finished second with last year’s winner, Brian Meehan’s Red Rocks, running a fine race in third under Frankie Dettori.

The eclipse of the Ballydoyle horse continued the losing streak for Longchamp winners at the Breeders’ Cup.

“We always knew that soft ground could be a problem to him,” O’Brien said. “I thought I had Dylan near his best but he was hating every second of it today.”

Murtagh underlined O’Brien’s view when he said: “He was losing his footing all the time and could never get competitive.”

Meehan was also disappointed with the ground and said: “Frankie said when he pulled him to the outside to make his run it was too late.

“He was stuck on the rail where the ground was very bad. Maybe they should have thought about providing some fresh ground today.”

None of that bothered New Jersey resident Pletcher, who finally broke his Breeders’ Cup duck with

the locally-owned English Channel.

Excellent Art was an unlucky second in the Mile to Kip Deville.

Drawn wide in stall 13, Murtagh elected to bide his time in the early stages and looked on from next to last.

Excellent Art stealthily made progress round the outside but just as Murtagh asked him for his effort, he hung to his left, forcing his rider to take action.

His loss of momentum proved costly as Richard Dutrow’s four-year-old, who was supplemented for the race, got first run and held on by just over a length to give Cornelio Velasquez a second winner on the big card following War Pass in the Juvenile.

Michael Stoute’s Jeremy was trapped on the rail for much of the race and finished 10th of 13 under Frankie Dettori.

Murtagh said: “I got a lovely run throughout and thought I would win turning into the straight.”

O’Brien added: “We were drawn badly and Johnny gave him a great ride. The horse has run a great race, especially when you consider he’s a good ground horse.

“We’ll have a look at the Hong Kong Mile. As to the future, I imagine he will not stay in training but I don’t know for sure.”

Henry Cecil’s Passage Of Time ran a race full of credit to finish third behind Lahudood and Honey Ryder in the Filly And Mare Turf.

Formerly trained in France by John Hammond, the four-year-old winner is now in the care of Kiaran McLaughlin, who trained Invasor to win the Classic 12 months ago.

Alan Garcia kicked on turning into the straight on Lahudood and stole two lengths on Cecil’s charge, who was in the perfect position but just could not quite get on terms.

Honey Ryder made great late headway to pinch second on the line.

Cecil said: “She didn’t quicken, did she? Everything went right for her in the race, but from going well she seemed to struggle a bit at the end.”

Ramon Dominguez, who rode Passage Of Time, added: “My filly handled the course all right but didn’t quicken in the last part of the race. I thought I had more horse under me than I actually ended up having.”

But Jeremy Noseda was non-plussed by Simply Perfect’s premature end to the race.

The Coolmore-owned horse had led over the early stages under Murtagh before going wide at the turn and nearly bumping into an outrider’s horse on the far rail.

“I’ve no idea what happened. I’ve never seen her do that before,” Noseda said immediately afterwards.

O’Brien was happy with All My Loving’s fifth place finish under Pat Smullen, while Mick Kinane said the soft ground put paid to John Oxx’s Timarwa’s chances in sixth place.